ITASCA Software 9.6 Delivers Automatic Remeshing to Accelerate Civil and Mining Modeling

“FLAC2D’s new remeshing logic enables stable, accurate modeling of very large deformations, allowing reliable simulation of complex phenomena involving massive strain.” – Jim Hazzard, ITASCA

MINNEAPOLIS, MN, January 30, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ — ITASCA Software has released version 9.6, introducing major advances in large-strain modeling with fully automatic remeshing in FLAC2D. The new capability ensures simulation stability, reduces complexity, and accelerates workflows for civil and mining engineers analyzing large, progressive deformations.

As the ground or structure in a FLAC2D model deforms (during large displacements, excavation, collapse, etc.), the mesh is automatically rebuilt, or “remeshed”, in regions that exceed user-defined strain thresholds. Data like stresses and displacements are transferred from the old grid to the new, maintaining simulation continuity.

“Remeshing addresses a longstanding challenge: when traditional fixed grids deform excessively, elements can become distorted, causing simulation failure or loss of accuracy,” explains Jim Hazzard, ITASCA Software Manager. “FLAC2D’s new remeshing logic enables stable, accurate modeling of very large deformations, allowing reliable simulation of complex phenomena involving massive strain.”

Remeshing Enhances Analysis of Large Deformations in Mining and Civil

The new remeshing capability in FLAC2D is a powerful tool spanning mining and civil applications where very large deformations occur, by automatically rebuilding a high-quality, accurate mesh as movement progresses and the existing mesh breaks down. Remeshing in FLAC2D saves valuable time and reduces effort for engineers during analysis of the complete evolution of a structure from stability to large-scale movement, leading to more efficient planning and design.

For mining engineers, whether modeling subsidence, progressive failure of open pits, backfill stability, or tunnel, stope, or cavern collapse, remeshing can maintain mesh quality, adapt to evolving geometry, and improve solution accuracy during large deformation, including the impact of ground pore pressure. This supports more robust assessments of risk and long-term performance in complex geomechanical environments.

In civil engineering, differentiating between Ultimate Limit State (ULS) and Serviceability Limit State (SLS) is paramount, and automatic remeshing is ideal for gaining the full picture of excessive deformations and their effect on construction, safety, and serviceability. Analysis of active slope failure or instability of tunnel faces can both benefit from the added efficiency provided by remeshing in FLAC2D.

Additional Improvements in ITASCA Software v9.6

Beyond automatic remeshing, version 9.6 includes several other new or enhanced features that extend modeling realism, performance, and workflow efficiency.

Advanced Material & Structural Modeling

• Structural Concrete Constitutive Model: Engineers can now assign concrete-specific behavior directly to structural elements like piles, beams, and liners. This allows for realistic soil-structure interaction in diaphragm walls and piles without the computational overhead of high-density zone meshes and simplified analysis.
• High-Fidelity Salt Mechanics: The Munson-Dawson Creep model—the “gold standard” for salt rock—is now available. It accurately predicts primary and secondary creep stages, which is essential for evaluating the decades-long stability of evaporite mines, energy storage caverns, and nuclear waste repositories.
• Circular Shell Generation: A new tool automates the generation of circular shell elements connected to piles. This ensures accurate contact area and volume displacement, streamlining the modeling of complex foundation systems.

Hybrid Solvers & Large-Strain Solutions

• MPoint (MPM) Coupling (BETA): FLAC3D and FLAC2D can now be coupled with MPoint3D and MPoint2D, ITASCA’s new Material Point Method (MPM) solver for extreme deformation simulations. This hybrid approach streamlines material point generation and overcomes limitations to conventional large-strain modeling while balancing simulation performance. Such hybrid models can be a mixture of zones and material points or start as zones and then automatically transition to material points in regions of large strains.
• Targeted Factor of Safety (FoS) Analysis: The updated FoS logic allows users to restrict Shear Strength Reduction (SSR) to a specific region. This permits engineers to ignore localized bench instabilities and focus on critical, large-scale failure modes, ensuring identification of critical failure mechanisms. The updated logic can also handle elastic zones and null zones, reducing solve times and streamlining modeling.

Automated Workflows & Precision Pre-Processing

• Automated Domain Generation: This tool automatically generates far-field zones around extruded, imported, or generated zones. With seamless zone gradation that matches existing zones to boundary zones, this tool can reduce model setup time from hours to minutes.
• Enhanced Sketch Tool with “Hard Nodes”: Specific coordinates can now be designated as hard nodes to ensure mesh nodes are generated exactly at those positions with specified zone sizes. Additionally, the Joint-set Wizard now accepts 3D dip/dip direction inputs and automatically converts them to the correct apparent dip for the Sketch plane.
• Imported Fluid Flow Architecture: 3DEC now supports fluid flow analysis through deformable grids imported from Griddle. This advancement allows high-fidelity, unstructured meshes to utilize robust flow logic for seepage and pore-pressure analysis.

To learn more about ITASCA Software v9.6 and automatic remeshing in FLAC2D, visit itascasoftware.com or request a technical demo.

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About ITASCA

ITASCA is an employee-owned, engineering software development and consulting company. It is one of the world leaders in engineering design and numerical modeling of geomechanics and hydrogeology related to mining, civil engineering, and energy extraction. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, ITASCA manages 9 global offices, blending local experience with a global perspective through an internationally diverse team of leading engineers, software developers, and scientists. Together, we strive to deliver functional, actionable, and long-term sustainable solutions from an environmental and societal perspective.

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